Industrial automation systems, which can include process control systems such as those used in the chemical industry and robotic systems used in factories, typically include special-purpose devices operating in a plant or field. Examples of such devices include valves, sensors, positioners, controllers, etc. Generally speaking, these devices perform respective industrial automation functions such as sensing a process parameter (e.g., temperature, pressure, flow rate, fluid level), calculating process parameters, controlling a process parameter (e.g., opening and closing valves, increasing or decreasing flow), generating alarms, etc.
Devices operating in industrial automation systems can be interconnected in a wired or wireless manner, and communicate using industrial communication protocols such as FOUNDATION™ Fieldbus, HART®, or Profibus. These protocols specify formats for conveying measurements, alerts and status reports, commands that affect process variables or automation parameters, commands for activating or deactivating devices, etc. A typical industrial communication protocol also supports device configuration, via pre-defined commands or commands defined by manufacturers for specific devices in accordance with the syntax of the protocol.
Provisioning devices via industrial communication protocols can take a significant amount of time due to the relatively low data rates supported by these protocols. For example, to download a 15 KB data package via a HART communication link at the rate of 1200 bps takes about 10 minutes. On the other hand, tools that allow replication of firmware via Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) or similar protocols impose a variety of restrictions such as compiling data into firmware, a physical control (e.g., a button) for activation, support of special interfaces and communication protocols, etc.